Formed in Canton, Ohio in 2002, Lovedrug is currently comprised of Michael … Read Full Bio ↴Formed in Canton, Ohio in 2002, Lovedrug is currently comprised of Michael Shepard (vocals, guitar, piano), Jeremy Gifford (guitar, synthesizers), Thomas Bragg (bass), and James Childress (drums). The band’s often-misconstrued name is something of a word play; Shepard initially left music to attend film school but his first ‘love’ of the music medium ‘dragged’ him back (thus “Lovedrug”; a verb, not an aphrodisiac).

Lovedrug drew nationwide attention with two independent EPs in 2003 and 2004, followed by the highly acclaimed debut full-length Pretend You’re Alive in July 2004 on indie The Militia Group (Sony). The fastest selling debut in label history, Militia upstreamed the band to parent label Columbia Records for a planned rerelease in March 2005 around the radio single “Spiders”. Though unrelated corporate purging at Columbia left many plans stillborn, Lovedrug toured heavily, including dates with The Killers, Robert Plant, Switchfoot, and Coheed & Cambria, and established a sizable American following.

By late 2006, Lovedrug had a new album’s worth of material and, to avoid continued upheaval at Columbia, returned to The Militia Group to release Everything Starts Where It Ends in March of 2007. The album was well received, selling close to 30k albums in several months on the back of Japanese and North American touring, including two headline runs and tours with Sparta and Blue October. Several singles/videos saw traction at radio & MTV, including “Ghost By Your Side” and “Happy Apple Poison”, but a lack of significant label support failed to capitalize, leaving the band frustrated and burned out.

After a brief interlude, founder Shepard reformed the group and proceeded to write what would become Lovedrug’s 3rd album as a bit of catharsis, working with iconic producer Michael Beinhorn (Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mew) to exorcise several years of demons in an aggressive homage to grunge. Though the 2008 release of The Sucker Punch Show coincided with the collapse of the Militia Group in North America, the album was especially well received upon it’s 2009 release in Europe, landing at #6 on the coveted Visions summer chart, garnering broad radio play for the single “Only One”, and seeing the band play shows and festivals with Kings of Leon, Nine Inch Nails, Silversun Pickups, and Eagles of Death Metal.

Following the European summer tour, a fully revitalized Lovedrug took the rest of 2009 to explore and define what would come next. The band self-released EP- PART I in April, the first in a series of three such indie EPs planned for 2010, while continuing to write, tinker, and prepare for the HiFi album to come. Lovedrug will play a number of dates this spring, including a headlining tour June/July, Bamboozle, and others.

Band Members:
Michael Shepard - Vocals, Guitar, Piano
Jeremy Michael Gifford - Guitar, Synthesizer, Piano
Thomas Bragg - Bass
James Childress - Drums

Down Towards The Healing
Lovedrug Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I want to make you happy
But I've fallen, I'm sorry
I thought my wings could hold me up
With angels not demons
You don't know how cool you are
To find the ways to love me without shame

I want my life to be red

With trees and like Autumn
I'd float away from evil and
Down towards the healing
So sad now we have become
The children trapped in the mazes
I'd give my soul to the one who has the courage
To find me and free me now

If I run I'll just become like all the faking lights

So let the thunders take me under
And break my legs tonight

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Lovedrug's song Down Towards The Healing convey a sense of regret and sadness over the inability to make someone happy in a relationship. The singer acknowledges that they have fallen and that their wings, representing their aspirations and goals, couldn't hold them up. They may have had the best intentions, hoping to soar with angels instead of being weighed down by demons, but ultimately they weren't able to keep their promises.

The lyrics suggest that despite the singer's shortcomings, their partner continues to support and love them without shame. The singer recognizes the depth of this love, describing their partner as cool for finding ways to love them even when they don't deserve it.

The second half of the song expresses a desire to escape from the sadness and pain that has taken hold of their life. The singer wants to see the beauty in the world and be surrounded by nature, visualizing their life as red like autumn trees. They hope to break free from the mazes that have trapped them and are willing to give up their soul to someone who can find and free them. The final lines express a sense of resignation, with the singer accepting that running away from their problems won't solve anything and choosing to face their issues head-on.

Overall, the lyrics to Down Towards The Healing explore themes of regret, love, and the desire for redemption.

Line by Line Meaning

I want to make you happy
I desire to bring joy to your life

But I've fallen, I'm sorry
I have stumbled and regret it

I thought my wings could hold me up
I believed in my own strength and ability

With angels not demons
With the forces of good, not evil

You don't know how cool you are
You're unaware of your own amazing qualities

To find the ways to love me without shame
To discover methods of loving me without feeling embarrassed

I want my life to be red
I desire my existence to be filled with energy and passion

With trees and like Autumn
Amidst the trees and in a season of change

I'd float away from evil and
I'd rise above and escape wickedness

Down towards the healing
Towards the path of recovery and renewal